Tweet now! #FreeEgyptWHRDs #NoProtestLaw
In the lead up to the October 11th trial of seven Egyptian women human rights defenders (WHRDs), who have been detained since June 21, 2014 on charges of violating Egypt’s strict Protest and Public Assembly Law, over 220 women’s and human rights organizations representing nearly 70 countries issued a statement demanding their immediate release.
The signatories to the statement, which include local, national, regional and international groups from across the globe, urge the Egyptian authorities to unconditionally release the WHRDs and drop all charges against them and others detained for exercising rights to peaceful assembly. Those signing the statement also strongly urged Egyptian authorities to revise the Protest and Public Assembly Law, which severely limits freedom of expression, assembly and association rights of Egyptians, to bring it in line with the Egyptian Constitution and African and international human rights standards. Egyptian authorities have in the past year taken a tough stance against civil society groups and civil activism, including public protests. Human rights organizations inside the country and internationally have criticized Egyptian authorities for what they view as serious repressive policies when it comes to civil society activism and public civic engagement and have repeatedly encouraged the adoption of measures that encourage civic participation and free expression and are in line with the spirit of the January 2011 Egyptian Revolution.
The text of the statement and the signatories appear below. Those interested in adding their names to the list of signatories can do so at this link:
http://goo.gl/forms/55wChTGZWr.
Those interested in publicizing the statement are encouraged to post it on their websites and to distribute it broadly to their networks including to media outlets. The hashtag #FreeEgyptWHRDs can be used in this regard on social media.
The text of the statement follows:
Free Egyptian Women Human Rights Defenders
We, the signatories to this statement representing women’s rights and human rights organizations internationally and based in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, call upon Egyptian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Yara Sallam, Sanaa Seif, Hanan Mustafa Mohamed, Salwa Mihriz, Samar Ibrahim, Nahid Sherif (known as Nahid Bebo) and Fikreya Mohamed (known as Rania El-Sheikh), seven women human rights defenders (WHRDs) detained since June 21, 2014 on charges of violating the Protest and Public Assembly Law. We strongly urge Egyptian authorities to unconditionally drop all charges against these WHRDs, and other human rights defenders, relating to the legitimate exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Further, we call on the Egyptian authorities to revise the Protest and Public Assembly Law in accordance with the Egyptian Constitution and international standards, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights.
Background:
On June 21, 2014, the seven WHRDs were arrested in Heliopolis, Cairo on the sidelines of and in relation to a peaceful protest against the Protest and Public Assembly Law. After using tear gas and birdshot to disperse the crowd, the police arrested Yara Sallam, Sanaa Seif, Hanan Mustafa Mohamed, Salwa Mihriz, Samar Ibrahim, Nahid Sherif and Fikreya Mohamed, in addition to several other human rights defenders. Since their arrest, they have been detained in Qanater women’s prison. The charges against all those detained stem from the Protest and Public Assembly Law and include: participating and organizing an unauthorized demonstration that “threatened public security”, “use of force and violence to terrorize and intimidate citizens”, and “intentional destruction of property”.
The first session of their case, also known as the Ittihadia Presidential Palace Case, was held on June 29, 2014. During this hearing, the judge adjourned the session and postponed it until September 13, 2014. At the second session, on September 13, 2014, the prosecution’s evidence was presented to the court. The defense attorneys requested the postponement in order to allow a technical expert to examine and determine the veracity of the video footage evidence presented during the session. The judge again postponed the trial until October 11, 2014, at which time the defense is supposed to be given an opportunity to present its case.
As a result of these delays, these seven WHRDs have remained in prison for over three months pending investigations. Two of the detainees, Ms. Fikreya Mohammed and Ms. Sanaa Seif, were on hunger strike to protest their arbitrary arrest. Ms. Seif’s hunger strike began on August 28 and Ms. Mohammed began her strike on September 11, 2014, and latest news is that she has had to suspend her hunger strike. As a result, both face serious health risks and are extremely weak.
It should be noted that while in detention, the father of Sanaa Seif, prominent Egyptian HRD Ahmed Seif El-Islam passed away. He was also the father of prominent Egyptian HRD Alaa Abdel Fattah, who was recently released on bail.
Signatories to the statement:
| Organization Name | Country |
| 1. 1325 Action Group | Nepal |
| 2. ABANTU FOR DEVELOPMENT | Ghana |
| 3. ABIA | Brazil/USA |
| 4. Access Chapter 2 | South Africa |
| 5. ACDemocracia | Ecuador |
| 6. ACEP | New Zealand |
| 7. ACT | Egypt |
| 8. Action Canada for Population and Development | Canada |
| 9. Acuarelas, Mujeres en Movimiento Asociación Civil | Argentina |
| 10. ACUNS Vienna | Austria |
| 11. Advocacy for Widows Empowerment Foundation (ADWEF) | Nigeria |
| 12. Advocates for Youth | USA |
| 13. Afghan Women’s Network (AWN) | Afghanistan |
| 14. African Women’s Active Nonviolence Initiatives for Social Change (AWANICh) | Ghana |
| 15. AIDOS. Italian Association for Women in Development | Italy, The Middle East |
| 16. Akahata A.C. | Argentina |
| 17. Alliances for Africa | Nigeria |
| 18. Alternativas Pacificas AC | Mexico |
| 19. AMDH | Morocco |
| 20. Amnesty International Nepal | Nepal |
| 21. Amnistía Internacional | Venezuela |
| 22. Ankiram Woman and Child development Society | India |
| 23. Asamblea de Mujeres de Quito | Ecuador |
| 24. Asia-Japan Women’s Resource Center | Japan |
| 25. Associação ComuniDária | Portugal |
| 26. Association Dea Dia | Serbia |
| 27. Association for Progressive Communications | South Africa/International |
| 28. Association of War Affected Women | Sri Lanka |
| 29. Association Tunisienne Femmes Démocrates (ATFD) | Tunisia |
| 30. AWID (Association for Women’s Rights in Development) | International |
| 31. Azidi Solidarity and Fraternity League | Iraq |
| 32. Barbra Schlifer Clinic | Canada |
| 33. Beit el Hanane | Lebanon |
| 34. BRIDGE, IDS | United Kingdom |
| 35. Bridges for Women | Iran |
| 36. Calala Women’s Fund | Spain |
| 37. Cambodian Center for Human Rights | Cambodia |
| 38. Catapult | USA |
| 39. CEE Network for Gender Issues | Slovenia |
| 40. CEJIP | Bolivia |
| 41. Center for Gender Studies | Ethiopia |
| 42. Center for Health and Gender Equality | USA |
| 43. Center for Peace Education, Miriam College | Philippines |
| 44. Centre for Action Research | Pakistan |
| 45. Centre for Economic Social Cultural Rights in Africa (CESCRA) | Uganda |
| 46. Centre for Research, Advocacy, Women and Youth Development | Nigeria |
| 47. Centre for Secular Space (CSS) | United Kingdom |
| 48. Centro de Información y Servicios de Asesoría en Salud | Nicaragua |
| 49. Centro de Promoción y Estudios de la Mujer Andina “Lulay” – CEPEMA “Lulay” | Peru |
| 50. Change for Equality | Iran |
| 51. CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation | International |
| 52. C AL Network | South Africa/Africa, regional |
| 53. Colectiva Ciudad y Género AC | Mexico |
| 54. Colectiva Feminista en Construcción | Puerto Rico |
| 55. Colectiva Feminista para el Desarrollo Local | El Salvador |
| 56. Colectivo Feminista Panteras Rosas | Nicaragua |
| 57. Collation on Rights and Responsibilities of Youth | Pakistan |
| 58. Comercio Justo | Uruguay |
| 59. Consutoría Multidisciplinaria en Desarrollo Humano | México |
| 60. Coordinadora Paz para la Mujer | Puerto Rico |
| 61. Corporación Red Nacional de Mujeres Comunales, Comunitarias, Indígenas y Campesinas de la República de Colombia | Colombia |
| 62. Crossroads International | Canada |
| 63. Department of Women Affairs | Bangladesh |
| 64. Development and Leadership Centre | Lesotho |
| 65. Development Organization for Community DOC | Pakistan |
| 66. Development Organization for Social Transformation (DOST) | Pakistan |
| 67. EIMAN | UK |
| 68. Euroregional Center for Public Initiatives | Romania |
| 69. FDH-NGABO asbl | Democratic Republic of Congo |
| 70. Federation for Women and Family Planning | Poland |
| 71. FeministsSA.com | South Africa |
| 72. FGHR | India |
| 73. FOCO INPADE | Argentina |
| 74. FOKUS – Forum for Women and Development | Norway |
| 75. UN CEDAW Committee | Bangladesh |
| 76. Freedom and Roam Uganda (FARUG) | Uganda |
| 77. Freischwimmen e.V. | Germany |
| 78. FRIDA | The Young Feminist Fund | México |
| 79. Front Line Defenders (FLD) | Ireland |
| 80. Fundacao Feto iha Kbiit Servisu Hamutuk (FFKSH) | Timor-Leste |
| 81. Getting Right for Every Runaway Child | UK |
| 82. Global Concerns India | India |
| 83. Global Fund for Women | San Francisco |
| 84. Global Network of Women Peacebuilders | USA |
| 85. Good Shepherd Centre for Teenage Mothers | Lesotho |
| 86. Gulf Foundation | Netherlands/Gulf region |
| 87. Haurralde Fundazioa | Spain |
| 88. Hisar Anadolu Support Society (HADD) | TURKEY |
| 89. Human Rights First | USA |
| 90. Humanist Institute for Co-operation with Developing Countries (Hivos) | The Netherlands |
| 91. Humanity Support Foundation | Pakistan |
| 92. Hunger Reduction International | Somalia |
| 93. IDAHOT | International |
| 94. IEWO | International |
| 95. IKFF Växjökretsen | Sweden |
| 96. IM – SOIR | Sweden |
| 97. INCIEDYT | México |
| 98. Institute for Science and Human Values, Inc | United States |
| 99. Instituto de Educación para las Mujeres | México |
| 100. Instituto RUNA | Peru |
| 101. Integrated Women and Children’s Development Activities (IWCDA) | Uganda |
| 102. InterLGBT | France |
| 103. International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN) | International |
| 104. International Women’s Rights Project | Canada |
| 105. Intitut Hak Asasi Perempuan | Indonesia |
| 106. Iraqi Al-Amal Association | Iraq |
| 107. Iraqi Women Network | Iraq |
| 108. Iraqi Al-Firdaws Society | Iraq |
| 109. JASS (Just Associates) | International |
| 110. JASS Southern Africa | South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi |
| 111. Jessica Reyes Sánchez | México |
| 112. Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) – New York City chapter | USA |
| 113. Justice and Peace Commission | Mexico |
| 114. Kalidasdih Mohan Mahato Foundation | India |
| 115. Knights For Peace, International | Philippines |
| 116. Labour Education Organisation | Pakistan |
| 117. Ligue du Droit International des Femmes | France |
| 118. Ligue Life ONG | Benin |
| 119. Linksbridge SPC | United States |
| 120. MADRE | United States |
| 121. Makerere University | Uganda |
| 122. Mauj Development Foundation | Pakistan |
| 123. Media Advocacy Group (MAG) | Nepal |
| 124. Medica Mondiale e.V. | Germany |
| 125. Metamorphosis | Serbia |
| 126. MGARO | Tanzania |
| 127. Middle East Studies Association (MESA) | United States |
| 128. Mothers for Active Non-Violence (MOFAN-V) | Ghana |
| 129. Movimiento Amplio de Mujeres | Puerto Rico |
| 130. Movimiento Amplio de MujeresP | Puerto Rico |
| 131. Mujer y Salud en Uruguay – MYSU | Uruguay |
| 132. Mujer y Sociedad | Peru |
| 133. Mujeres por la Vida Contra la VD | Uruguay |
| 134. Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV) | USA |
| 135. Najaat Welfare Foundation | Pakistan |
| 136. National Council of Social Welfare | India |
| 137. Noble Aims Welfare Association | Pakistan |
| 138. O-livestream | USA |
| 139. Oficina Jurídica Para la Mujer | Bolivia |
| 140. ORGENS | Senegal |
| 141. Parliament of the World’s Religions | USA/International |
| 142. Peace Foundation Pakistan | Pakistan |
| 143. Pen International | International |
| 144. PEN International, UK Chapter | UK |
| 145. Planeta Mujer | Mexico |
| 146. Plataforma Española de Jovenes contra la violencia de genero | Spain |
| 147. Prabha Khosla Consulting | Canada |
| 148. Pro Mujeres | Puerto Rico |
| 149. PRO-LINK | Ghana |
| 150. Progressive Center for Equality, Symbiosis & Solidarity (PROCESS) | India |
| 151. Quality of Citizenship Jamaica | Jamaica |
| 152. Reach India | India |
| 153. Red de Empoderamiento de Mujeres de Cartagena | Colombia |
| 154. Red Mesa de Mujeres de Cd Juárez A.C. | México |
| 155. REFH | France |
| 156. Refugees Solidarity Movement | Egypt |
| 157. RIFA Rights For All | Rwanda |
| 158. Runu | India |
| 159. RUPSA | Bangladesh |
| 160. Rural Women’s Development and Unity Centre | Nepal |
| 161. Rwanda Association of University Women | Rwanda |
| 162. Saathi | Nepal |
| 163. SAFECO – Synergy of Congolese Women’s Associations | DR Congo |
| 164. Samanata-Institute for Social and Gender Equality | Nepal |
| 165. Samsara | Indonesia |
| 166. Save The Children Egypt | Syria |
| 167. Sawt al Niswa | Lebanon |
| 168. Seres | Portugal |
| 169. Sexuality Policy Watch | Brazil & US |
| 170. Sharedream | Ireland |
| 171. Shreela Debi | India |
| 172. Sisters in Islam | Malaysia |
| 173. Social Transformative Action Network for Development (STAND) | Sri Lanka |
| 174. Socialist Feminist Collective | Turkey |
| 175. Solveig Senft | Germany |
| 176. Somali Youth Voluntary Group Association (SOYVGA) | Somalia |
| 177. SOS Sexisme | France |
| 178. Sree Saraswathi Thyagaraja College | India |
| 179. Steps Towards Development | Bangladesh |
| 180. STEWARDWOMEN | South Sudan |
| 181. SWL | Syria |
| 182. Takal Welfare Organization | Pakistan |
| 183. Tanagra M. Melgarejo | Puerto Rico |
| 184. TESO WOMEN PEACE ACTIVISTS (TEWPA) | Uganda |
| 185. Association of British Muslims | United Kingdom |
| 186. Coalition for Action 1325 | Uganda |
| 187. MATCH International Women’s Fund | Canada |
| 188. Trailblazerz Mentoring Foundation | Uganda |
| 189. Trinamul Nari Uddyakta Society (Grassroots) | Bangladesh |
| 190. Uganda Public Rescue Foundation | Uganda |
| 191. Under the Rainbow | South Africa |
| 192. Union de l’Action Féministe | Morocco |
| 193. Urgent Action Fund (UAF) | Africa |
| 194. Ved International Society | India |
| 195. VIDA LESBI | Peru |
| 196. Warvin Foundation for Women’s Issues (WFWI) | Iraq |
| 197. West Africa Social Entrepreneurs Network | Ghana |
| 198. WHER | Nigeria |
| 199. Wi’am, Palestinian Conflict, Transformation Center | Palestine |
| 200. WILPF French section | France |
| 201. ًWogood for Human Security Foundation | Yemen |
| 202. Women & Children’s Empowerment Network in Africa | Uganda |
| 203. Women Business Center | South Africa |
| 204. Women Development Initiatives (WODI) | Nigeria |
| 205. Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR) – NEW WAYS | Turkey |
| 206. Women in Action against Gender Based Violence (WACameroon) | Cameroon |
| 207. Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) | International |
| 208. Women of Halton Action Movement | Canada |
| 209. Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR) | Philippines |
| 210. Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) | Switzerland |
| 211. Women’s Information Center | Georgia |
| 212. WomenCentre | UK |
| 213. World Learn, School for International Training | Uganda |
| 214. World March of Women | France |
| 215. WUNRN | Global |
| 216. YFW | Belize |
| 217. Young Knights | Zimbabwe |
| 218. Young Professional Development Society Nepal (YPDSN) | Nepal |
| 219. Young Women for Change | Mongolia |
| 220. Youth Afrique Leadership Forum | Nigeria |
| 221. Zawadisha | USA |